Rechargeable battery-operated work apparatus are increasingly being used in the private and professional fields. Powerful rechargeable batteries such as chemically lithium-based rechargeable batteries have a high energy density, and therefore even more demanding work can be carried out with electric work apparatus over a relatively long period of time. Rechargeable battery-operated hedge trimmers, rechargeable battery-operated power saws and rechargeable battery-operated brush cutters are known, these having a rechargeable battery pack which is inserted into the housing of the work apparatus.
If a great deal of work is to be carried out with brush cutters or hedge trimmers, relatively large rechargeable battery packs have to be used in order to achieve long operating times, these rechargeable battery packs predominantly being carried by the user separately from the electric working device. In this case, a connection cable connects the rechargeable battery pack being carried by the user to the electrical load in the work apparatus. Rechargeable battery packs of this kind are heavy and therefore have to be arranged in a stable housing. Stable housings are usually heavy and significantly increase the weight of the rechargeable battery pack which is heavy in any case; however, relatively lightweight housings are susceptible to damage, for example if the rechargeable battery pack topples over when it is placed on the ground or if the rechargeable battery pack falls to the ground when it is removed from the back of the user.